Skip to content 
“We thought Grant had everything under control.”
Sarah looked confused.
“Why did the police bring you here?”
I turned toward the officer.
“You gave me a note from my son. You drove me here. Where is Grant?”
No one answered.
Mark checked his phone.
“He’s still not answering.”
The room suddenly became quiet again.
Then headlights swept across the windows.
Another police cruiser pulled into the parking lot.
Everyone turned.
The door opened.
Footsteps approached.
And then Grant walked through the entrance.
He was wearing a police uniform.
Jason stared.
“No way.”
Sarah whispered his name.
Eliza covered her mouth.
I could barely speak.
“What are you wearing?”
Grant looked nervous.
“A uniform.”
Mark blinked.
“You’re a cop?”
Grant nodded.
“Yeah.”
Sarah immediately stepped forward.
“Do you realize what you did? Mom thought something happened to you!”
Grant looked at me.
His expression changed.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
I didn’t answer.
He took a breath.
“I wanted to surprise you. I thought it would be funny if I stayed out of sight and then showed up here in my uniform.”
My voice was quiet.
“I was sitting alone at that table.”
Grant lowered his head.
“I know.”
“You didn’t know.”
He looked up.
“I know now.”
I could see the regret on his face.
Then he explained something I hadn’t expected.
He had been attending the police academy and had kept it quiet because he was afraid everyone would expect too much from him.
“I didn’t want anyone thinking I was going to fail,” he said.
I stared at him.
“You thought I would?”
“No,” he said quickly. “Never you.”
He swallowed.
“You were always the one who believed I could do something with my life.”